Panchayat strikes down marriage

A COMMUNITY panchayat declared a marriage null and void on the ground that it was against social norms.

A COMMUNITY panchayat declared a marriage null and void on the ground that it was against social norms.

The panchayat directed the couple to separate. It formed a seven-member committee which would help the woman’s family find another groom for her in four days. The woman reportedly accepted the panchayat’s verdict.
Meera (20) of Raja Ka Tajpur had married Kamal Saini a few days ago, despite her family’s vehement protests. Both were of the same community. She had been in love with Kamal since long. His first wife had died in 2001, leaving two children behind.

On March 29, Meera went to Kamal’s house and told him that she would live with him. Her mother, brother and several others rushed to Kamal’s house in Nai Basti and tried to take Meera back home. But Kamal’s family members drove them away. They called in a priest, solemnised the couple’s marriage and sent them to Bijnor.

But, members of the community objected to the marriage, saying it was against social norms and would have an “evil” influence on girls of the town. Thus, a community panchayat was called twice at Saini Dharmshala and it pronounced its verdict.

Among those who took part in it were district panchayat member Raje Indrajeet Singh, village pradhan Ashok Kumar Tyagi, BDC member Ravi Kumar Singh, Saini Samaj president Madan Singh, etc.